Month of June is going to be an exciting time in the Falls. ESPN's Friday Night Fights comes back to the Casino bringing the local homeboy Nick Casal to the main event fighting for a title. Nick Callenda will also be attempting to cross the Falls on a high wire. We had a chance to watch him practicing in the Casino boardwalk area. Hopefully I'll be able to get on once again as a Boxing Commission fight inspector. We'll see how it goes.

tomlightfield

05-17-2012 05:04 AM

Hey Ghost, you may have seen this by now, but I just read that the entire fight card has been cancelled 'cause Nick was attacked this past Saturday morning and half beaten to death by a guy(or guys) with golf clubs, of course from behind. Bunch of chicken ---t SOB's. And all over some broad. Just search his name, you'll see all the articles about it. Coincidentally that same morning an old buddy of mine who I've known for 57 years went out to a local forest preserve and shot himself in the head. He was just at my house a while back, showed up, he took my motorcycle for a half day ride, came back and we shot the breeze for a while, he seemed OK. He's had a lot of issues for many years, but I never saw this comin'. Have to go to the wake today. Anyway, I'm sorry to have put a damper on your expectations for next month, I know how much you absolutely love boxing and everything surrounding the sport. Take care.

Hunting Man

05-17-2012 05:55 AM

TLF, sorry to hear of your buddies death. So much of that these days. I had to go through that with my brother and not a day doesn't go by that I think I could have helped him. TG, I hope things happen for you to stay involved as that's your passion!

BruceBruce1959

05-17-2012 06:21 AM

TLF, I'm sorry to hear about your buddy, we will pray for his family and friends to find comfort with his passing.
regarding Nick Casal, it's always cowardly to attack from behind, I hope the attackers are identified, arrested and punished to the max allowed by law.

spiker

05-17-2012 06:32 AM

Regarding Casal they seem to be saying that it was his new gfriends ex boyfriend.He tried to kill this kid its a shame.Tom sorry to hear about your friend i like to think that people at that stage obviously arent in the right frame of mind and have made their decision.One of my fathers golfing buddies shot himself in the head in his house for his son to find em.It was awful but he was diagnosed with parkinson's and was depressed but nobody seen it coming.You and Hm dont beat yourself up i believe something just snaps and thats it.Sorry again and hang in there.

tomlightfield

05-17-2012 07:59 AM

HM, Bruce and Spiker, thanks so much to each of you guys for the heartfelt comments and thoughts. I didn't mean to get away from TG's post, just coincidence both things happened the same morning, and wait 'til TG hears about what happened to his home town kid, he's gonna be fuming about this!! I knew you 3 guys would have something nice to say about my deal, and believe me I really appreciate your condolences, each of you. Sincerely, Tom Laccabue

He apparently waited for Casal in the garage, brandishing some type of metal implement, and then went on a sneak attack, according to Ray Casal.
He said his 145-pound son was struck by the assailant 15 or more times in the head and body.
For a few hours, doctors sutured numerous deep cuts to the side and back of Casal’s head. By the time doctors were finished, the young boxer’s wounds were closed by more than 300 staples and stitches.

Amazingly, Casal’s father told the Buffalo News his son suffered no brain damage. Police have yet to make any arrests. [Buffalo News]

I heard about this Saturday and text a family member and they said "he's fine" like I knew what happened but I was inquiring about the incident itself... turns out they didn't want me to know anything.....the Casal family are great, hardworking, honest people and Nick works out 7 days a week and if there were 8 days in a week he would do 8 days a week. Boxing was his life, it is what he knew and what he was darn good at...crap, my other buddy in Buffalo who was a pro boxer just got in trouble with his vehicle a couple weeks ago too.........TLF and HM my condolences to you both........I'm just a little fuming that I had to find out through internet and not from 1st hand.....I'd like those cowards to hit me in the head and try knocking me around----they will get theirs!!!

tomlightfield

05-18-2012 04:26 AM

Thanks TG, went to the wake yesterday afternoon, not good, his wife is a mess and won't be better any time soon. This guy survived a year in Vietnam as a door gunner in a chopper only to end up going out like this. But that's enough about that, back to your deal, first let me offer my condolences to you, I can see that this has hit home hard with you. I know the boxing community is a very close knit one, and one of your very dear passions. The girlfriend is in this up to her neck, what was she doing at the ex's house at 4:30 in the morning? And then calls Nick to come over there? And why haven't the cops made an arrest yet, she saw the whole thing, they have an eye witness. She knows more than she's telling so far. It'll be interesting to see what unfolds. If the cops can prove that she "baited" or lured him there, regardless if she didn't know of the impending attack, she's going to the slammer too along with the attacker.

Hunting Man

05-18-2012 09:01 PM

I won't go too deep in the suicide issue TLF, but back in 2000 when I lost my brother I sat down many nights/hours and composed a small book of thoughts/poems that related to what I went through as a family member loosing my brother in such a manner. It help me if nothing else just to focus on something. I have provided the narratives to other families that have suffered the same loss. I would without hesitation forward the material to you in the event your buddy's wife may want to read another's dealings with a very similar tragic loss, sometime down the road maybe. It brings the tears for sure but it may let her know there is light at the end of the pain tunnel that others have went through. This April marked the 12th year of our loss and it still seems like yesterday that we were hunting and fishing together. HM

tomlightfield

05-19-2012 10:37 AM

Thanks a bunch Darrell, I really appreciate the thoughts and concerns you've shown me through this ordeal. Let me also say that I'm sorry to hear that your brother left your family in pretty much similar fashion. It's really sad when someone "goes out" like this, but what's just as sad is the havoc, confusion and wondering left in their wake for the people who really cared about them. It's gonna be a while before I go see the widow, I think I need to just let her have some time before she'll be able to even talk about this without falling apart. I go back many years with her too. I would like to read your thoughts about dealing with this tragedy, if you don't mind I'll send you a PM with my info. On to the Nick Casal attack, they finally arrested the ex-boyfriend(big surprise there)and are holding himWITHOUT BAIL. He has been charged with a Class B felony which in New York can be as much as 25 years and a $30,000 fine. I think TG will be at least a little happier now that they've jailed the coward piece of garbage.